MATCH REPORT

Swans still pointless on the road

Swansea City's search for an away point continues following this 3-1 reverse at the City Ground.

Lewis McGugan scored the first of two goals from the penalty spot after Dorus de Vries was harshly penalised for allegedly grounding Dexter Blackstock inside the area.

He doubled the lead early in the second-half and despite the Swans seeing more of the ball they conceded a third when Radoslaw Majewski found the net.

Substitute Cedric van der Gun did find the net for the visitors in the final minute after Joe Allen's initial shot was palmed away by goalkeeper Lee Camp.

The Swans were without top-scorer Scott Sinclair for the game at Nottingham Forest.

He missed out with a tight hamstring picked up after bagging a hat-trick at Peterborough in midweek and was replaced in the side by David Cotterill - the only change made from the last league game against Scunthorpe.

There was also a return to action for Frank Nouble, who was ineligible for the Carling Cup match at London Road, but Stephen Dobbie missed out after pulling up with an ankle injury in the warm-up.

The Swans knew that they would have to be at their best in order to get a first win on the road at Nottingham Forest but the side named by Brendan Rodgers was one capable of doing so, despite losing Scott Sinclair to injury.

And for the first few minutes the home side couldn't even get near the ball as the Swans coolly passed it amongst themselves.

However, it was Forest that attempted to draw first blood as Chris Cohen forced Dorus de Vries into saving with five minutes on the clock and Neil Taylor, back in the side after not travelling to Peterborough, cleared up the rest as he denied Dexter Blackstock a second stab at goal.

But the City Ground is no strange place for contoversy to occur - last term the Swans were denied a second-half penalty before the home side clinched all three points late on from a corner after one of the referee's assistants failed to raise his flag for offside in the build-up.

And with 10 minutes played here Forest were awarded a penalty, one that their visitors felt was harsh. Blackstock went to ground under pressure from de Vries after racting on to a through ball, but the Dutchman and his team mates was adamant that the ball was won.

But Lewis McGugan placed the ball and found the net from 12-yards to break the deadlock.

Forest kept up the pressure as they went seeking a second but Frank Nouble almost pulled level midway through the half only to see his shot deflect over for a corner.

The West Ham loanee saw another attempt blocked just before the half-hour, the loose ball fell kindly for Joe Allen but, after twisting and turning his way past two defenders, shot low into the hands of Lee Camp.

Down at the other end, meanwhile, de Vries kept out Paul Anderson by palming away a well hit half volley 10 minutes before the break while also attempting to cause damage from a series of proceeding corners.

Half-Time: Forest 1 Swans 0

The tempo was with the Swans as second-half proceedings got underway and they started with one new face on the pitch, Cedric van der Gun taking up his position out wide after replacing David Cotterill.

Ashley Williams blazed over inside the first five minutes but with 54 on the clock Joe Allen was handed a great chance after Wes Morgan gifted him possession, he strode forward into the area only to lose out in a challenge with Luke Chambers.

And despite being on top it didn't stop the home side extending their lead with their first attack of the half on the hour, opening goalscorer McGugan again finding the target after waltzing his way past the defence and slotting past de Vries into the corner.

Andrea Orlandi was sent on in place of Neli Taylor to give the side more of an attacking edge, but his first involvement was to find the back of the stand from Mark Gower's short free-kick.

The Swans were keeping hold of the ball but just couldn't do anything with it, and they were punished with just a little over five minutes to go when substitute Radoslaw Majewski raced through and lifted the ball over Dorus to make it 3-0.

But there was a consolation goal right at the death when Cedric van der Gun fired home from close-range after Joe Allen's initial shot was palmed away by Camp.